The Thailand

THE THAILAND TO BURMA RAILWAY “THE DEATH RAILWAY’ ‘Man’s inhumanity to man’ Matt Walsh Table of Content Topic Page Introduction 1 Background 1 The Railway 2 The Work Force 2 ‘F Force Statistics’. 3 Hell Fire Pass 4 Civilians 4 Casualties 4 Disease 5 Japanese Military Code (Code of Bushido) 5 Camps for Prisoners along the Railway route 5 Personalities 6 - Tom Uren MP. 6 - Sir Edward (Weary) Dunlop 6 The aftermath 7 - Kanchanaburi War Cemetery 7 To Day 8 - The end of the line 8 - The Bridge on the River Kwai 8 Map of the Railway Route 9 Kilometre Chart of the Thai- Burma (Death) Railway 10 Bibliography 11 Author 11 This booklet is an initiative of the Defence Reserves Association (NSW) Inc and the Military Police Association Inc. as part of their Schools Military History Program. Written and compiled by Matt Walsh JP. MLO ALGA. (MCAE) Dip Bus & Corp Law (CPS) © 2005 Published by Matt Walsh 115 Leacocks Lane Casula 2170 The Burma – Thailand Railway “The Death Railway” Introduction The ‘Fall of Singapore’ and the building of the Burma to Thailand (Death) Railway are aspects of our military history which will always be linked even though they are different events in the overall campaign of the Japanese invasion and domination of Asia. The decision by the Imperial General Headquarters (IGHQ) of the Japanese Army to build a railway connecting Singapore to Rangoon and the decision and order by General Tojo to use Prisoners of War (POWs) to build the railway brought about the greatest example of those times of “man’s inhumanity to man” to be seen for a long time to come. On the positive side it showed man’s courage, resourcefulness and care for others in times of despair and hopefulness. Background Following the capture invasion and take over of Burma, Thailand, Malaya, and Singapore in 1941/2 the Japanese were developing plans to invade India in during the dry season of 1943/44. To achieve this they needed to build airfields in Burma (now Myanmah) and a railway through Thailand to Burma which would then link the existing railways in Burma and Singapore. The Japanese plan was to be able to move 3000 tons of supplies each day to supply their Southern Army. The reason the decision to build the railway was made was that they needed to be able to protect the supply route to their Southern Army. Whilst it would be possible to supply Burma by sea from Singapore, it was realised that the allies would try to cut this sea route. The Japanese decides that it was necessary to also have a land route (a railway) between Singapore and Burma. Part of this route already existed between Singapore and Bangkok and in Burma from Ye to Rangoon. It would only be necessary to join them up through Thailand. Japanese engineers who had previously surveyed the route considered it uneconomical to operate and too costly to build due to the difficult terrain. However in war rational thinking tends to take a back seat and the order was given to construct the railway irrespective of cost in both money and human life. - 1 - The Railway The railway was to be 421 kms long and was to be built in two sections. The first being 152 kms starting in Burma at Thanbyuzayat (south of Moulmein) and the second section of 263 km in Thailand starting at Bampong (near Bangkok) with the two sections to meet at Nieke (Nikhe) near what is now known as “Three Pagodas Pass” on the Thai/Burma Border. A section of the railway showing the difficult terrain The Japanese engineers estimated that it would take five years to build the railway, however the Japanese army forced the prisoners to complete it in sixteen months. In mid 1942 General Tojo issued an order that prisoners were to work for the Emperor, and this meant that they were to be employed on building the Thai- Burma Railway. This resulted in the POWs from Singapore being used to build the railway. Construction commenced on 16 September 1942 (2485 B.E) at Nang Pladook on the junction with the existing railway between Bangkok and Singapore and it was completed on the 17 October 1943 (2486 B.E) when the two sections met at Konkuita at the 263 km point). The Japanese celebrated the occasion on the 25 October with an impressive ceremony. Examples of rolling stock used by the Japanese on the railway The Work Force A number of groups were allocated to work on building the railway and airfields. One of the early groups to arrive was known as ‘Dunlop Force’ and consisted of 7000 British- Australian –Dutch and Americans who had been transferred from Java (Indonesia), the Australians numbered 700. They were to be joined later by “D Force” from Singapore. - 2 - The first troops to leave Changi (Singapore) numbered 3000 and were designated as “A Force” they left in mid 1942 under the command of Brigadier Varley. They first landed at Victoria Point in Burma and were used to build airfields and roads and they eventually arrived at Thanbyuzayat in early 1943 to work on the railway. The railway and an example of a camp on the river used by our soldiers The second group to go was designated as “D Force” and consisted of 5,000 men of whom 2,200 were Australians. This group was organised into three battalions and left Changi in March of 1943 and were transported overland by train to work from Tarso (Tha Soe) at the 130 km point. The next group sent was in April 1943 and was designated as “F Force” under the command of Lt Col Harris a British Officer. This group was made up 3400 British under the command of Lt Col Dillon and 3,600 Australians under the command of Lt Col Kappe of 8 Division Signals the force was to also include a medical party of 350 men. Apparently this was an attempt by the Japanese to keep the men alive and healthy not because they cared about them but because they need to complete the railway on time. The group departed Singapore by train for Bangkok from where they were marched some 300 km to Sonkurai, which is in the area of the “Three Pagodas Pass” on the Thai-Burma Border Those who survived the work on the railway returned to Changi (Singapore) in December 1943 and January 1944. Nearly 45% did not return, the death rate of the British was much higher than the Australians. “F Force” Australians British Total Departed April 1943 for Railway 3,664 3,336 7,000 Returned December 1943 2,636 1,305 3,941 Casualties Died on Railway 1,014 2,013 3,027 Missing on Railway 14 7 21 Died at Changi on return 32 17 49 Total casualties 1,060 2,037 3,097 Casualties % 28.95 61.3 44.24 - 3 - The last group to go was “H Force” made up of 3270 British, Australians and some India Army Officers. They were to leave Changi on the 8 May 1943 and were transported by train to Banpong and then marched to Hin Tok (Hintoku) at the 55 Km point. They were to return to Singapore in 1944 to Sime Road Camp a former School from which they were then transferred to Changi Gaol. Hell Fire Pass It was in the area to which “H Force” was sent at Hintok at the 155 km and Kenju at the 166 km point that the infamous ‘Hell Fire Pass” was built in June 1943. Work on the pass took place twenty four hours a day and at this site 68 men were beaten to death. Civilians To achieve their target completion date the Japanese used locals and civilians from other conquered countries to assist the POWs. Some 200,000 civilians were recruited under the false pretence of being involved in ‘The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere”. These civilians were treated no better than the POWs and because of their lack of organisation ability and fitness they suffered great casualties The civilian labourers came from Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Malaya, Singapore and Thailand. Casualties Casualties on the railway were very high. Of the 61,700 allied POWs (the Japanese figures say it was 68,888) which was made up of 30,000 British, 13,000 Australians, 18,000 Dutch and 700 Americans, 12,399 died of which 2,646 were Australians, 6,318 were British and the remaining 3435 were from the Dutch and Americans. The other group which is often forgotten is the civilians (the native labourers) nearly all of whom lost their lives. - 4 - Disease Whilst many of the casualties came about through overwork, malnutrition, beatings, injuries and other causes, the deaths were also contributed to by disease. The many diseases suffered by the POWs were a major contributing factor to the high deathrate. Some of the diseases suffered by the prisoners were: Beri-beri: A disease due to a deficiency of Vitamin B found in areas where there is malnutrition, particularly where polished rice is the staple diet. Blackwater Fever: A complication of Malaria in which there is widespread destruction of the red blood cells. Cholera: An acute disease caused by an organism which results in severe fluid loss from the intestine. Dysentery: Infection of the Colon characterised by diarrhoea with blood and is spread by poor hygiene. Malaria: A disease caused by a parasite and spread by mosquitoes – causes recurrent bouts of high fever. Japanese Military Code (Code of Bushido) Unfortunately the number of casualties on the railway was increased because of the perversion of the Japanese Military Code by the ‘Code of Bushido’ – which regards a warrior who surrenders as beneath contempt.

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